My favorite of the Dark Horizons. The nose is strong alcohol, and I thought the 15.5 ABV would not be hidden in the taste. On the contrary, it was hidden well throughout. Poured black with no head, and medium to low carbonation. The hops are buried by the sugar and malt. You’re greeted by spices, vanilla, sugar up front, and the coffee and chocolate come out only towards the end. This is super sweet, definitely a sipping beer, but I also enjoy the sweetness very much. Heavy, complex, well-balanced, well-hidden alcohol.

Bottle. Pour is coffee-like deep brown with a minimal ring of tan foam. Aroma is loaded with roasted malt, light coffee, notable dried fruit, light alcohol, and faint chocolate. Flavor is very sweet with notes of roasted malt, light coffee, light chocolate, and a light fruity flavor. This is a bit too sweet for me. This is my least favorite of the horizon series.

Bottle from Vinmonopolet in Bystasjonen, Bergen. This seems like the right time to taste this third installment in the Dark Horizon-series by Nøgne Ø. Just finished tidying up the house, it’s Christmas, I’m on vacation at home and I’m about to start up a good movie. Hell, I even got the fireplace stoked and going; if this isn’t an epic imperial stout moment, nothing is. :-) Pours a pitch black body, virtually retention-free except for a faint rush of caramel bubbles, quickly vanishing into the oily surface. Nose is a surprise: really strong and tightly interwoven tones of coffee and black currant toddy hits me first. Upon dissecting the aromas, I also get some mocha, dark chocolate and cocoa tones underneath. Interesting. Taste is overwhelmingly sweet at first, like someone just poured me a sip of molten chocolate cake with mocha icing in a glass. Only with way more sugar than most would use in a chocolate cake. Have they gotten the bottles mixed up here? Should this be the Sweet Horizon edition? No, that can’t be. Sweet Horizon is not nearly as sugary as this one; it takes time to even swallow this thing as my entire palate winces in anticipation of every drop that passes. This is more like a slightly carbonated dessert wine than a beer. Perhaps I could have forgiven the sweetness level if the other aromas were well brought out, but unfortunately I can’t say they are. Mocha, coffee and cocoa are all present, but get on stage mid-play, only after the initial onslaught of sugary alcohol; also present in the warming finish, but otherwise well integrated for such a high ABV. All in all, I’ve had better sippers in the same category and Nøgne Ø has certainly made finer high gravity beers than this - such as the other Dark Horizon-editions. Hate to say this, but the 3rd edition is, without a doubt, a huge letdown for me. Judging from the intense sweetness I don’t even think it will be possible to mature this one into a better state; the sugar will only be cloying and earthy in the long run. I think. Better luck next time, Nøgne Ø, You know you can do more than this.

on tap at grunerløkka brygghus. Pours flat, no head. black. pitch black. nose is extremely sherry/slightly port. chocolate, coffee, lots of coffee, and of course some alcohol. Taste is similar with lots of sherry notes. Sweet finish. Lots of alcohol but not to overpowering. I cant wait to crack the bottle I bought for the wife.

Dark Horizon 3 is very similar to the Sweet Horizon - it is essentially the same beer with an extra bit of fermentation. A bit more chocolate and cocoa, perhaps, but there is a load of sweetness here, too. Not as balanced as the previous versions, the sugar overtakes it all. Should have had more agressive yeast to eat some of this,

Bottle. 8.5 oz. Split with Sean and Dad on the night after Christmas. Pours a deep, dark brown, nearly black, with a minimal amber head. Aroma of freshly brewed coffee, cream, brown sugar, chocolate, and some nice dry hops in the back. Full bodied with a rich, chewy, slightly bitter palate. The mouthfeel is literally like chocolate mousse. The alcohol is hidden incredibly well; only a sublte trace of it in the warmth of the finish. Excellent stout. I love this brewery and their boundary-pushing big beers.

Pure black color with a tiny nutcolored ring that sticks to the edge of the glass, looks good
Aroma is just super, strong chocolate, roasty malt. Taste is, for me, a bit too sweet. It has a very good taste of coffee with some chocolate and herbs, but IMO it would be better if it wasn’t so sweet. I’ll save the next one for a year or two, maybe the age will do it good.
Still an awesome beer though. Oh, who am I kidding? I love it, just hope the sweetness will dissappear!

This was my chosen beer for celebrating five years on Ratebeer 06.12-2005-06.12.2010. The 250ml bottle that comes in a box was bought at Vinmonopolet Sentrum, Tromsø. The pour reveals a jet black body with light brown patches on the surface. Aromatic dark fruits to the nose conjoined by earthy malts and bitter liquorice. Rich and likable taste of dark fruits, strawberries and blackcurrant sustained by coffee malts and liquorice. Long-lived aftertaste with tingling alcohol on the swallow. Toddi impression. Well bodied and in fact moreish. Good brew, if not quite up there, yet. A few bottles are left for further development in the cellar (celebrating at home in Tromsø,06.12.10).

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